I Hated My Father, Now I Love Him Essay - 521 Words

I hated my father. He was always concerned with fairness, and so was I, but our definitions differed greatly. I thought fairness meant my happiness--when I was not happy, something was unfair. My father did not recognize a truth that I knew, that I was the most important thing in the universe, and the world should please me. To be fair to my father, the world was full of people who did not recognize that truth, but he was the person most willing to bring a dissenting opinion firmly into contact with my bottom. That was a different time, when punishment was a fathers prerogative and duty. Spankings gave way to being sent to my room, or being given additional work around the house. Always the voice that stopped me from doing what I†¦show more content†¦Even then, I knew that I loved him, too. My father was always willing to accept the consequences for doing the right thing. In north-central Florida in the early 1960s, he was active in civil rights; the Gainesville newspaper called my father the only liberal in Levy county. We could not get fire insurance because the word was out that the Ku Klux Klan would burn down our business. Later, my father, who served in both World War II and the Korean War, carried the flag at the head of the very first march against the Vietnam War in Gainesville. I was always very proud of my father. nbsp; nbsp; And my father always trusted me. When I was eight, he let me ride my bicycle ten miles into town each week to buy comic books. When I was fourteen, we climbed Mount Popocatepetel together, and he stopped short of the summit, letting me go to the top without him. A vainer man would have made excuses for staying behind or risked a heart attack to continue. My Dad said, I cant make it. You go on. And I went on, knowing he had passed on a responsibility to me. nbsp; nbsp; I never hated my father after I became an adult. I believe those two things are related. A time came when I realized that my father and I had begun a journey together, he as a father and me as a son, and we both began itShow MoreRelated James Baldwins Life in Notes of a Native Son Essay1374 Words   |  6 Pagesperson was James Baldwin, who voiced his opinion through writing short stories about his experiences growing up as a black man. In order to convey to the reader the unbearable nature of this troubled era, he traces his feelings of hatred for his father and his hatred towards society, which transform as he evaluates his experiences. James Baldwin wrote â€Å"Notes of a Native Son† in the mid-1950s, right in the heart of the Civil Rights Movement while he resided in Harlem. 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Greatest Chinese Inventions Free Essays

The Greatest Chinese Inventions Gene R. Kelsey Strayer University The ancient Chinese culture produced major inventions that some of which still are relevant and useful to our modern culture all over world even today. When an Italian merchant named Marco Polo traveled to China in during the Song Dynasty in 1271 he discovered a place so technologically advanced far greater than any Western European nation of its time. We will write a custom essay sample on Greatest Chinese Inventions or any similar topic only for you Order Now The following is a listing of 9 important inventions instrumental to our growth as modern Human Beings. It would be a technical pilgrimage for me to win this contest. I would love to visit China. (1) The Process of Paper making. Although first used as wrapping and padding for over 100 years before it became a medium for writing upon around AD 105. Paper along with printing changed the way the world documented everything from history to science and many years later paper currency. Even though our modern culture is moving away from paper it will always be used in one form or another. There is no such thing as electronic toilet paper. 2) The invention of the printing press with moveable text symbols by Bi Sheng. It was this invention that was eventually taken over to the West and used by Gutenberg for the printing of the Bible. Needless to say, this had a profound effect on the nature of knowledge and the development of literature, (The Franklin Institute). (3) Gun Powder and Fireworks. The use of gunpowder in weapons gave those with access to the technology a greater ability to protect t hemselves from enemies or to conquer and control others. It greatly affected the balance of power in many parts of the world. Whether we agree or not the invention of Gun Powder and the weapons that followed were huge game changers for Humanity. (4) The Compass which was really pre-dated by the discovery of magnetism by the Chinese which was first noted in a book from the Song Dynasty. However, the first suspended magnetic needle compass was written of by Shen Kuo in his book of AD 1088. The wet Compass was the most used. Eventually the Dry Compass took shape but was not as well accepted by the Chinese. (The Science Forum 2007) (5) The Great Wall of China. One of the wonders of the world its construction began in 221 BC in an effort to keep Mongol invaders out. The Sui Emperor Yang Di began the reconstruction and repairs of the wall around the 600’s AD. Hundreds of thousands of laborers were used to do the work. As some perished they were buried where they fell and remain in the wall. It is the biggest man made structure on earth and is said to be the only one visible from space. However, upon going to the NASA web site (www. nasa. gov/vision/space/workinginspace/great_wall. html) you will find some contradiction to that story. Only from low level orbit can it be made out to the unaided eye. (6) Cast Iron. In the 4th century BCE due to the prior discovery of refractory clays to allow for construction of a blast furnace that could handle the heat required to melt down iron the Chinese were able to pour and mold cast iron. That along with the use of phosphorus to reduce the heat required using coal as the fuel. With the development of annealing ploughshares, longer swords, and buildings were also using iron in their construction. (Asiasociety. Org). (7) Row Crop Planting 6th Century BC. 200 years before the western world adapted this practice the Chinese were growing stronger crops much faster than previously done by planting in rows. This process allows for greater access to the plant for watering, weeding, and harvesting along with greater protection for the plant from the elements. This practice is still used today as it still remains the perfect way to grow and harvest. (8) Deep Drilling. Around the 1st C entury BC the technology to drill deep bore holes using equipment that would be recognizable today. They used Derricks that towered has high as 180 feet and could reach depths of 4800 feet. They captured natural gas in bamboo tubes to use as fuel for evaporating water by boiling brine to produce salt. There is also evidence that they may have burned it in lanterns for light. It wasn’t until the 1800’s before western nations adapted the use of deep drilling. (9) Porcelain. To this day Chinese porcelain is prized by all cultures. The process of using materials such as glass and mineral compounds in a kiln at high heat. Invented during the Sui Dynasty and perfected in the Tang Dynasty most notably by Tao-yue (c. 08 – c. 678). By the time the Sung Dynasty it reached its peak around the 10th century. It wasn’t until over 500 years later the monopoly was broken by a German Physicist Tschirnhausen who invented European porcelain. Generally speaking most scholars believe the 1st four I have in order are the most important contributions to humanity. Although the greatest written works of man may have eventually reached the pages of a book using other materials other than paper. And printing hadn’t been created when it was following paper by the Chinese. Take the time to consider the Chinese were hundreds of years or more ahead of the west so think how many works would have been lost if man continued to carve in wood and write on cloth. And of course Gun Powder which led to fireworks and firearms. And lastly the compass so one can find their way home at the end of the fireworks show. I think the greatest invention from the Chinese is their diverse culture. China is one of the four ancient civilizations (alongside Babylon, India, and Egypt) with 3600 years of written history. Out of the nine I have chosen Cast Iron which eventually became steel as something I couldn’t live without as I do. The Chinese invented the process but it wasn’t perfected until a British inventor names Henry Bessemer mass produced it in his facility in Sheffield, England in 1856. Steel is still produced using the process of blowing air through molten pig iron to oxidize the material to separate the impurities. Why would I choose cast iron and steel? All my life I have worked with iron and steel. I build cars and restore them by welding in new metal where old has rusted away. I build iron gates and art work with iron and steel. I have my work adorning many friends and family’s homes. The art of blacksmithing holds great interest for me. What other material on earth is so strong yet can be heated and molded into any shape. While doing research for this paper I ran into some of the writings of Shen Kuo. We have been studying the Renaissance of Italy. Shen Kuo was the Leonardo da Vinci of China. He was a mathematician, astronomer, meteorologist, geologist, zoologist, botanist, pharmacologist, agronomist, archeologist, ethnographer, cartographer, encyclopedias, general, diplomat, hydraulic engineer, inventor, academy chancellor, finance minister and it goes on. In the Song Dynasty he was the head of the bureau of astronomy in the Song court. One of the greatest Western sinologists of this century, Joseph Needham wrote â€Å"The Science and Civilization in China†. This Book is now one of the main references about Shen Kuo’s work in a western language. What this tells me is that genius is not limited to the west or east. The Renaissance was not limited to the west. Great minds are of the nature of the human race. They don’t come around that often. But every century has had a few of them since the eginning of man. And China has had their fair share dating back to the origin of what is China! References Secrets of Lost Empires (The Science Forum 2007) Bodde, Derk (1991). Chinese Thought, Society, and Science. On Shen Kuo. The Needham Research Institute (NRI), home of the Science and Civilization in China project. (www. nasa. gov/vision/space/workinginspace/great_wall. html) (The Franklin Institute, 2012). The Humanities: Cu lture, Continuity, Change: Volume 1 Second edition. How to cite Greatest Chinese Inventions, Essay examples

“The Money Box” by Robert Lynd free essay sample

In 1925, The Money Box came in sight which Robert Wilson Lynd created under the pseudonym Y. Y (Ys, or wise). It is worth noting that he is one of the great contemporary essayists of English literature. Robert Lynd was an Irishman, he was born on April 20, 1879, in Belfast. He received a Protestant education in Belfast. Lynd started his literary beginnings with the drawings of Irish life. In 1901 Robert moved to London. There he actively participated in the various newspapers. Surprising is the fact that his circle of savor covered practically everything. Many of his essays, such as On Holidays, The Money Box, On Good Resolutions, are confirmed by his creative thinking.His essays were the result of his art and his interest in various things and thoughts. If you are looking for something witty and filled with humor, then The Money Box is a befitting essay. This essay examines an important problem of the human psyche. We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"The Money Box† by Robert Lynd or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He considers the desire to save and the desire to spend, which arises in many people recognition. Robert Lind believes that our human recognition consists of two I. The first I saves, but the second, on the contrary, spend. The I that tries to save is perspicacious and it must ensure the upcoming of the world.At once in the essay frequently the first â€Å"I† that is trying to save is contested with the second one that spends. That who spends loves every minute of his life and wants to live life to the fullest. He sees no purpose why the joyfulness of the present-day should be left for the future. This is why the struggle between the â€Å"I† what saves and the â€Å"I† what spend follows. A still small voice acts as a judge. The essay itself is easy to read, as it is described with the help of jokes, suggestions, and references. The money box is an instrument in order to present the authors opinion on the preservation and expenditure of funds.The story opens with a dialogue amid the author and his niece who is trying to discover how to open the money box, before putting in a coin. The money box is like the delusion of wealth. When the coins get into the box, it becomes not quite a pleasant thing. However, opening this box becomes a significant concern for the mind. It is understood that the desire to spend something overcomes the desire to save, even at such a young age.The writer believes that the money box as a gift is absurd since parents give children a sentiment of their own greed. When the author considers the money box, he is transferred to the remembrances of his childhood. He remembers how he did everything possible to turn up his money box, which he articulated calmly, using a diversity of images and comparisons. This exciting essay ends with a reference to the money box. The writer in it suggests that there is an extremely vital need for a balance among saving and spending. The author demonstrates that preservation should not be an obsession, and if we talk about spending, then they should not be meaningless.In his essay, the author uses specific and rather sensitive words and phrases, such as a lot of mickle makes a muckle. Of course, they are a very suitable choice for writing natural prose. In many cases, in the essay, the author gives human capacity to the money box. This gives it a humorous and truthful image. There are also mythical figures, such as Tantalus, as well as modern figures such as George Cruikshank, Arnold Bennett, and Balzac. The essay is really easy to read and carries with it an incredible life experience.Robert Wilson Lynd was an astounding Irish writer, a polite literary essayist, and a strong Irish nationalist. Thanks to his â€Å"The Money Box† essay you will not only get the pleasure of reading but also immerse yourself in the most significant reflections. Of course, his essay and what he tried to convey in it will leave an impact in the life of each reader, or at least make the reader to think a little.